Planning for Mars in the past, even as Tennessee revisits the Scopes trial.

In a somewhat unusual occurrence, a book review was our most popular story this past week: Before the Lights Go Out, which focuses on renewable energy, efficiency, and our electric grid, set off a lively discussion, as well. Other popular stories included plans for Mars exploration that date from the 1960s, as well as an application to create a "commercial Cape Canaveral" on the coast of South Texas.

Why you should read the book Before the Lights Go Out: In her book Before the Lights Go Out Maggie Koerth-Baker (science editor at BoingBoing) presents a realistic look at the state of energy and hard choices that need to be made regarding the energy crisis in the United States.

An open Bering Strait blocks off sudden swings in climate: The film The Day After Tomorrow is (extremely loosely) based on the climate impacts of shutting down ocean circulation in the Atlantic. A new study suggests that this is less likely in the future than it was when sea level was lower.

Elusive Majorana fermions may be lurking in a cold nanowire: Majorana fermions are particles that act as their own antiparticles: if two of them collide, they annihilate. Researchers may have found quasiparticles (particle-like quantum states arising from multiple particles) that act like Majorana fermions in a thin wire connected to a superconductor.

A pair of geologic clocks get updates: Two papers published recently in Science present changes to a couple of radiometric dating techniques that will tweak the ages we've previously assigned to events that took place early in our planet's history.